Tonight at the Capitol Hill Club, a long list of lobbyists will host a fundraiser for Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif), who is in a competitive race for reelection this year. Many of these lobbyists have hosted events for Lungren in the past, and represent some of his biggest campaign donors.

In all, 19 lobbyists themselves have donated nearly $30,000 to Lungren’s campaign fund since 2004, based on Party Time analysis of federal campaign finance records. Their firms have also donated more than $133,000 through their Political Action Committees (PACs), and many of their firm’s clients have also donated to Lungren over the course of his career.

For example, one of the event’s hosts, Barney Skladany, of the lobbying firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, represents high-profile clients including AT&T and Johnson & Johnson, two of Lungren’s top donors in this election. Skladany also represents The Dow Chemical Company, the Corrections Corporation of America, Delhaize Group, Liberty Mutual and PG&E Corp, all of which have donated to Lungren through their PACs.

Other hosts for tonight’s event include Shannon Campagna, who represents Safeway Inc., James Norton, who lobbies for General Dynamics, and Tom Boyd who represents DLA Piper. All of these companies are top donors to the Lungren campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., formally announced his reelection bid on Feb. 22, 2010, with an open house at his Winston-Salem campaign headquarters, but the first term member has been raising money since he took office.  Since January 2009 alone, he and his campaign have sent out at least 38 invitations to fundraisers, according to our Party Time database, the great majority of them in Washington, D.C. The events have helped him raise a total of $6.7 million, $4.3 million of which he still has in the bank.

Lobbyists and Political Action Committees (PACs), some of whom represent Burr’s biggest donors, are hosts of many of these functions. One upcoming event—scheduled for March 17—lists 25 hosts alone. These include Robert Chamberlin of McBee Strategic Consulting, whose clients include FedEx Corp, a top donor to Burr’s campaign fund, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Ed Kutler, a lobbyist for Clark & Weinstock, represents another top campaign donor, AmerisourceBergen. Another host is Charles Symington, who represents the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, a top donor to Burr’s leadership PAC, the Next Century Fund.

In all, half of the top 20 donors to Burr’s campaign from 2005-2010 are represented by lobbyists or PACs hosting fundraising events for the senator, including Reynolds American, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and GlaxoSmithKline. The records do not reveal whether employees of these companies or PACs actually attended the events. Though lobbyists and lobbying firms were frequently listed in Burr’s fundraising invitations, the campaign has not identified any bundled contributions raised by lobbyists to the Federal Elections Commission. The requirements for reporting bundled contributions are weak, and are easily avoided.

Of the 38 parties that raised money for Burr since January 2009, 33 of them were held in Washington, D.C., and featured 54 registered lobbyists and 21 PACs as hosts—all representing interests with business before Congress. These lobbyists and PACs have collectively given Burr’s campaign committee directly more than $106,000 in contributions, and provided opportunities for access for other donors.

Burr began 2009 as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents, with low approval ratings in the Tarheel state, but recent polling numbers show him less vulnerable than he had been. Politico pegged Burr’s race a “bellwether” for the national zeitgeist—if things seem to be swinging the GOP’s way, he “shouldn’t have much trouble winning a second term.” A recent Rasmussen poll shows he leads both of his potential Democratic rivals by wide margins. Cook Political Report currently lists the VA race as “likely Republican.”

Though his political fortunes have changed, Burr continues to hold fundraising events at a prodigious pace, attracting a wide range of Washington insiders to his campaign events:

·    Last March, nine lobbyists from the Podesta Group broke from the Democratic proclivities of their boss, Tony Podesta, and were hosts for donors invited to a breakfast with Burr. Among the companies some of them represent, which are donors to Burr: Genzyme, Tyco International, and General Electric. Collectively, these lobbyists gave Burr $5,500, spread over the period from March to June. (The nine lobbyists are: Sharon Cohen, Kimberley Fritts, Randall Gerard, Lauren Maddox, David Marin, Elizabeth Morra, John Scofield, John Shank, and Missi Tessier.)

·    Four lobbyists from BGR Holding, whose president, Bob Wood, used to work for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hosted this breakfast on June 11 for the senator. Together, the lobbyists represent a long list of clients, including such Burr top donors as GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer Inc. Of the four lobbyists–Bob Wood, Jennifer Larkin, Lukawski, Loren Monroe, Mary-Lacey Reuther–Lukawski and Reuther each contributed $500 to Burr on June 29, 2009.

·    On June 24, several lobbyists representing Con-way, the trucking firm, hosted a breakfast for Burr; also listed as hosts were the PACs for the lobbying firm hired by the company, Venable LLP, and the company itself, which have each given Burr $2,500. Jim Burnley and John O’Neil both represent Con-Way at Venable; Randy Mullett (see his bio here) is  vice president of government relations and government affairs for the company. The fourth host, Diann Howland, lobbies for the American Benefits Council, where she focuses on benefits issues. She’s listed as giving the senator $1,000 on June 29. Conway hired Venable in part to lobby on pension issues.

Burr’s office did not return phone calls seeking information about these fundraisers.

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio) has supported legislation aimed at lowering prescription drug prices and creating more competition in the drug industry – efforts opposed by the powerful pharmaceutical lobby.

But as she runs for reelection, her campaign is relying on two lobbyists, Mary Anne Walsh and Jenny DiJames, who represent many drug makers and other health care concerns to host March 4 fundraiser for the Buckeye state freshman.

Many of DiJames’ clients are top tier drug companies, including Pfizer, in which Kilroy holds shares. DiJames’ firm, William & Jensen, lobbied on the Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2009, a bill that Kilroy co-sponsored. The bill, opposed by the drug industry, would require the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prescription drug prices in a government-run prescription plan.

Walsh, the former chief of staff to Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), has donated $750 to Kilroy’s campaign since 2008. Other clients of hers include the Akron General Hospital Systems and the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Kilroy is also a key player pushing, along with other members of Congress and the Federal Trade Commission, for an end to “pay for delay” drug settlements, in which pharmaceutical companies pay generic companies not to compete against their brand name products. These settlements delay the entry of lower-cost generic drugs on the market. A ban on “pay for delay” negotiations is contained in the House approved health care bill and is also in President Barack Obama’s recent health care proposal.

In 2008, Kilroy won the election over Republican Steve Stivers by less than one percent of the vote. Stivers is challenging her again this year for a seat that has been held by a Republican for more than 40 years. Stivers is holding a fundraiser with Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar on March 5. So far, Stivers has raised more than $500,000 on the campaign trail, with notable donors including leading drug makers and insurance companies like Abbott Laboratories and AETNA. Kilroy has surpassed Stivers with more than $1 million in donations.

DiJames and Walsh did not return calls asking for comment.

In his primarily Republican district, Rep. Alan Grayson (D – FL, 8), who has been labeled by right wing critics as an “extreme leftist,” faces a tough re-election race this year. As if to lighten the mood and raise some campaign money at the same time, Grayson is hosting his second annual Walt Disney World weekend fundraiser this Friday. His last Disney fundraising event was held in April 2009.

Last year, Grayson’s campaign spent more than $6,000 on events at Disney World. Indeed, Grayson, whose district includes the popular theme park, has been known to have a soft spot for the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Last year, his fondness for Disney led him to sponsor a bill that would require companies with more than 100 employees to offer a week of paid vacation to their full- and part-time workers. Grayson’s love for Disney is not unrequited. In the last election cycle, the Walt Disney Co. donated $5,000 to Grayson’s campaign committee.

Hilton Hotel Worldwide CEO Christopher Nassetta is scheduled to host a fundraiser for embattled Florida Republican Senate candidate Gov. Charlie Crist on Feb. 22, at, where else–the Capital Hilton.

Crist faces a challenge from the right by Marco Rubio, who enjoys strong support from the tea partiers.

Nassetta became CEO of Hilton Worldwide in 2007.  In the past, he and his wife, Madalyn Paige, have supported Democrats and Republicans alike. Since 2005, they have contributed more than $120,000 directly to federal, state, and party committees, according to data from opensecrets.org and followthemoney.org. This amount includes $16,000 to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) as well as contributions to former Sen. Hillary Clinton and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

The Nassettas also contribute to real estate Political Action Committees (PACs) including the Real Estate Roundtable’s (where Nassetta serves on the board), the National Association of Real Estate Trusts, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. All have active federal lobbying programs.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit to Denver today to attend a fundraiser for Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) Bennet is defending his seat in one of the most competitive races in the country–rated a “toss up” by The Cook Political report. He faces a primary challenge by Andrew Romanoff, former speaker of the state house; the Republican challenger is Jane Norton (We blogged about her here.). So far Bennet has been far in the lead in the money race.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who faces a tough re-election race back home in Nevada, will be doing a fundraising sweep through California mid-month.

First stop is a cocktail reception on Feb. 15 at the home of George and Judy Marcus in San Francisco. Marcus is the founder and chairman of the real estate giant Marcus & Millichap Company, as well as chairman of the Essex Property Trust, and is a generous donor to Democrats.

The next day, attorney Joseph M. Alioto, son of former San Francisco mayor Joseph L. Alioto, will be hosting a breakfast at the Fairmount hotel. He gave $28,500 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the 2008 elections.

Last is a cocktail reception on Feb. 16 at the home of Bruce and Norah Broillet in Bel Air. Broillet is an attorney in Santa Monica, and was a bundler for John Edwards in his failed presidential bid. Broillet gave Reid a contribution of $2,000 in July.

This just came in from a trusted source: not an invitation, per se, but an invitation to be listed on an invitation from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney–widely seen as a frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, which provides a window on to how these events are organized.

Romney was trolling (deadline was yesterday) for hosts and co-hosts for an event benefiting his Political Action Committee,  Free & Strong America PAC, on Feb. 11, for bowling at Lucky Strike Lanes. His ask: raise or contribute $1,000 to be a host, $500 to be a co-host.

Romney has used the PAC to contribute to such candidates as the new senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown, (Romney takes credit for Brown’s win here) as well as GOP leaders such as House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

I want you to be among the first to know about an upcoming event for the Free and Strong America PAC, featuring Gov. Romney.  On Wednesday, February 17th, Mitt will be in DC and is doing an event for his PAC at 7:00 pm.

I hope you will consider being a Host or Co-Host for this fun event – Bowling with Mitt.  The money raised will go toward the important efforts of Mitt’s Free and Strong America PAC to promote conservative causes and help Republican candidates in 2010.

Are you able to serve as a Host or Co-Host (and have your name listed on the invitation) for the “Bowling with Mitt” event on February 17th? The price to attend will be $150/person, and we are asking Hosts to raise or contribute $1,000 and Co-Hosts to raise or contribute $500.  If you are interested, please e-mail Gretchen Moss at gretchen@gretchenmoss.com, and let us know how you would like your name listed on the invitation. The deadline for getting names on the initial invitation is Monday, February 1st at 5:00 PM.  Please also forward this e-mail to any others that you think may be interested in Hosting or Co-Hosting.  Complete Event details are below:

Bowling with Mitt

and Celebrity Bowlers

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

7:00 pm

Lucky Strike Lanes

Gallery Place

701 7th Street NW
Second Floor

Washington, DC, 20001

Host: Give or raise $1,000

Co-Host: Give or raise $500

Attend: $150

Contributions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Federal law requires us to obtain and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 per calendar year. By law, the maximum amount an individual may contribute is $5,000 ($10,000 per couple) per calendar year. PACs may also contribute $5,000 per calendar year. Contributions by corporations, foreign nationals (non-green card holders), labor unions, federal government contractors, and minors under the age of 16 are prohibited.

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As eyes turn toward Massachusetts and the outcome of the Senate race today, here’s the text of an invitation to a fundraiser for would-be senator Martha Coakley at Sonoma restaurant last week hosted by the Democratic Massachusetts political firmament and a host of well connected lobbyists.

Congressional Quarterly reported on this fete here; the Washington Examiner noted that several of the lobbyists have health care connections here; and the Washington Post here.

• Danny Tarkanian, who hopes to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in November, is boasting of recent polling numbers in an invitation to a fundraising luncheon at La Loma on the 19th.  Tarkanian is part of a crowded field of Republicans challenging the Reid, who is widely seen as vulnerable thanks in large part to his championship of health care reform.
• Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), who faces a primary challenge back home in Colorado from Andrew Romanoff (who was recently passed over as a possible candidate in the governor’s race) continues to show his D.C. fundraising power with a reception, featuring Education Secretary Arne Duncan, also on the 19th. Before being tapped for the Senate seat by now-retiring Governor Bill Ritter, Bennet served as Denver school superintendent. Bennet has raised 58 percent of his cash from out-of-state; after Denver, his top two contributing geographical areas are New York and Washington, D.C. The reception is at the home of Katherine and David Bradley; Bradley is publisher of The Atlantic Monthly Magazine, where Bennet’s brother, James, is editor-in-chief.